SRC-CTC C.S.S.B. 831 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 831
77R9240 KLA-DBy: Moncrief
Health & Human Services
3/8/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, federal funds are newly available for states to create a Ticket
to Work Buy-In Program that allows disabled individuals to work, but not
lose their Medicaid benefits.  C.S.S.B. 831 creates three pilot programs,
one rural, one urban, and one in the Texas-Mexico border region, to take
advantage of these funds.  The Department of Human Services is directed to
report the effectiveness of the pilot programs and make recommendations
about statewide expansion. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 32B, Human Resources Code, by adding Section
32.053, as follows: 

Sec. 32.053.  MEDICAL ASSISTANCE BUY-IN PILOT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN
RECIPIENTS WITH DISABILITIES.  (a) Requires the  Health and Human Services
Commission or an agency operating part of the medical assistance program
(department) to develop and implement a  medical assistance buy-in pilot
program (program) in accordance with the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives
Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. No. 106170) to provide medical assistance
to certain persons.   

(b) Requires the department to operate the program in three specific
geographic areas of the state, each of which is located in a local
workforce development area for which the local development board has
received a federal work incentive grant under the Workforce Investment Act
of 1998 (29 U.S.C. Section 2801 et seq.), as amended, to provide employment
services and supports to persons with disabilities.  Requires the
department to determine the pilot sites, with one site in an urban area,
one site in a rural area, and one site in the Texas-Mexico border region. 

(c) Authorizes the department, in establishing the program, to set certain
guidelines or conditions. 

(d)  Requires the department, in establishing the program, to require a
person who participates in the program to pay premiums to the extent
required by 42 U.S.C. Section 1396o(g)(2). 

(e)  Requires the department, not later than December 1, 2002, to submit a
report to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature on the
effectiveness of the program and the feasibility of expanding the program
statewide. 

 (f)  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2003.

SECTION 2.  Requires the Texas Department of Human Services, not later than
January 1, 2002, to  develop and implement the program under Section
32.053, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.  Amends As Filed S.B. 831 by amending the proposed eligibility
requirements under Subsection (a).  Increases the number of program sites
from two to three and sets forth the criteria for the location of the
program sites.  Adds the requirement that the third site be in the
Texas-Mexico border region. 

SECTION 2.  No change.

SECTION 3.  No change.